WTC Final: India will win pretty comfortably if they play anywhere near their best: Tim Paine

Australia’s captain Tim Paine reckons India will win pretty comfortably if they play anywhere near their best in the World Test Championship final against India. The Indian team has performed brilliantly in the overseas conditions in the recent past and they have played at the top of their game.

In fact, Tim Paine knows how potent the Indian team can be if they play at their best. India defeated Australia in 2018-19 by 2-1 in the Border Gavaskar trophy and replicated the same success in the 2020-21 series as they stunned the Indian team with a second string team.

India has been ticking the right boxes as a unit as they are coming up with collective efforts. Furthermore, India’s pace battery has taken giant strides in the last few years and they have delivered consistently in all the conditions.

India has done a tremendous job and they will be looking to carry the same form in the World Test Championship final. The Indian team is a confident unit and Virat Kohli has led from the front.

Tim Paine said, “My prediction is, India will win pretty comfortably if they play anywhere near their best.”

The Australian skipper Tim Paine added that New Zealand didn’t beat a strong England unit as players like Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer didn’t play.

“I think New Zealand are a good team, for one, and secondly if we’re being realistic I think it’s a really different team that we saw England out on the field to what we’re probably going to see in the Ashes… keeping it in perspective it certainly wasn’t England’s strongest team.”

On the other hand, former England captain Michael Vaughan fancies New Zealand to beat India in the World Test Championship after the Kiwis went past England.

Vaughan tweeted, “NZ are a high class team .. Read the situation with the Bat in hand, skilful with the ball & catch brilliantly .. Really fancy them to beat India next week.”